[woodenchef]

Hello everyone, I am picking up a 100G aquarium tonight (I am a noob to this) and would like a nice colorful array of tropicals eventually. The possibilies seem endless but looks like a lot of fun, designing, and picking out your fish.

I would like maybe 2 schooling types of fish and a few other brightly colored fish. I don't know where to start, I did take a look at the compatiblity chart but still at a lost as to what to get.

What type of community fish do you have living in perfect harmony



Thanks for your feedback in getting me started

 

[mysticevils]

A lot of tetras are very passive. Cardinals, Neons, and Rummynose all seem to get along very well with each other in my experience (and are very attractive), as do the more popular danios.

 

[jones57742]

woodenchef

This may be an excellent thread for a "sticky".

Successful fish keeping (ie. having happy fishies or for that matter live ones) is not as simple as one might believe (ie. set up you tank, install the equipment, add water and fish).

If you are purchasing your aquarium from an LFS (local fish store) or a chain instead of "picking up your aquarium tonight" IMHO I would list the type of aquarium, the type of stand and the equipment which they are proposing to sell you in the next post and let the members of the forum provide you input.

The following link is a good place to start on cycling a tank (the first step in establishing a healthy environment for you fish):
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/biologicalcycle/a/nitrogencycle.htm

TR

 

[woodenchef]

Thanks, I purchased a corner type unit (was used and it only had coral in it, will need to give it a good cleaning. There is still salt residue), 100G with 4' twin flouresant lights. It is more triangular in area then it is in height. That is all I have at the moment which leads to my next question?

I assume will need a heater, filter (looking at the new fluval, any good or should I look for something else???), and will I need some sort of aerator like a power head or just one that blows bubbles? Pet store said some fish don't like the current powerheads produce, and well of course gravel and decorations

 

[jones57742]

woodenchef

I did not realize that you were talking about a saltwater setup.

I am completely useless here but there are several real saltwater guru's on the forum who will be able to help you.

TR

 

[woodenchef]

Hi, I am talking about freshwater. The person who used to have aquarium had salt water coral, but I am setting up for freshwater.

Sorry for the confusion!!!

 

[Lupin]

The person who used to have aquarium had salt water coral, but I am setting up for freshwater.

Welcome.:wave:

Don't use the coral in a freshwater tank. Coral skeletons are often calcerous and can increase the pH of your water. It will be very unfortunate if the fish you picked prefer soft acidic water. Furthermore, corals don't make your tank natural. No coral skeletons can be seen in a freshwater biotope more than the oceans and seas.

Good luck.

 

[jones57742]

I would very much like to help you in your endeavor but some of what you need I am not familiar with and a picture of your aquarium might be of some help also.

In this post I am also asking for some additional information (but I am trying to not overwhelm you with this request).

Thanks, I purchased a corner type unit (was used and it only had coral in it, will need to give it a good cleaning.

Might I suggest that after you have everything you believe to clean that you clean again with a mild chlorine solution for final disinfection.

... 100G with 4' twin flouresant lights. It is more triangular in area then it is in height.

If you are contemplating live plants in your tank (which I have for the extreme aesthetics which they provide) then
1) Please look on the bulbs and the ballast for descriptions including one which will be a number followed by the letter K and post your findings.
2) Your next decision will be "what you will put" in the bottom of your tank. I have laterite and gravel and a laminate thereof but many folks use a colored natural gravel or artificial gravel with tab fertilizers.

I assume will need a heater ...

Yes and the following two threads may be of some help
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3468&highlight=heat
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3077&highlight=heater

I assume will need a ... filter (looking at the new fluval, any good or should I look for something else???) ...

The two most common types of filtration equipment are HOB (Hang on Back) and cannister. [Biowheels are also becoming popular but are probably not feasible for your corner aquarium).
Another type of filtration equipment is termed wet/dry. IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) the wet/dry is the best but many, many folks will disagree and this filtration equipment is not typically recommended for folks who are first time fish keepers.
As you have purchased a "corner aquarium" I assume that if is a fairly nice aquarium which you will place in a corner and which has a tank which is supported by an enclosed stand.
I therefore believe that you will want cannister filtration as the cannister will be concealed by the enclosed stand.
My system is wet/dry but I do have very, very limited experience with cannister filtration which I employed for a brief period as tertiary filtration.
The filter which I used was an Eheim and I had good luck with it.
The following threads may be of some help in your procurement decision.
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5370&highlight=cannister
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5835&highlight=cannister+filter
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=4574&highlight=cannister
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=4748&highlight=fluval
Please note that many members of this forum believe that the actual filtration provided by a cannister filter is approximately 50% to 75% of the rated filtration.

... and will I need some sort of aerator like a power head or just one that blows bubbles?

The following is a recent thread concerning aeration.
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5856&highlight=

Pet store said some fish don't like the current powerheads produce ...

Yes but some fish do (ie. Plecos).
The procurement determination of a powerhead should be based on the fish which you will ultimately stock.

Please post additional questions based on this post.
Also was the link to tank cycling beneficial?

You will be perfoming 25% weekly WC's (Water Changes) during and subsequent to cycling. You might consider this factor in the placement of your aquarium.

TR

 

[woodenchef]

thanks for all the info, i just went out and bought a eheim rated for 100g are you saying i should have bought something say rated for 150g if filteration is only 50 - 75%

Will a weak bleach solution be benificial in cleaning old salt residue???

I will send pics soon, yes it sits on a enclosed cabinet

 

[jones57742]

thanks for all the info, i just went out and bought a eheim rated for 100g are you saying i should have bought something say rated for 150g if filteration is only 50 - 75%

Yes or preferably 200G.


Will a weak bleach solution be beneficial in cleaning old salt residue???

No.
The only things of which I am aware which will remove the salt residue is a good brush, hot water and elbow grease.
The mild chlorine solution is a "just to make sure its all gone" disinfectant.


I will send pics soon, yes it sits on a enclosed cabinet.

Thanks

TR

 

[woodenchef]

Cycling

I am now in the cycling phase, I picked up a Eheim professional II canister filter rated for 150G. My tank is 100G, the problem is all these mico-bubbles coming out of the discharge part, it looks terrible. If I had fish in there I would not be able to see them. Why is this? Is this only because the cycling process is happening? I am not using fish, Al's gave me this solution in a bottle which I add on the 1st, 7th, and 14th days

When i filled tank i measured this plus the dechlorinator correctly. Anyone have any ideas how to get rid of all these????

 

[leifthebunny]

I've got two tanks on the Ehiem Pro II. Make sure that your waterline is above the filter output, and you probably want to point the heads down so not to cause too many ripples in the surface. The more bubbles the filter outputs, the more get sucked in to the input. Also, you might want to turn down the speed for a bit and shake the cannister gently to make sure that all of the air gets worked out of the system. One of my tanks still generates a lot of bubbles, but it is pushing a high rate for the tank and I don't mind the bubbles in this tank.

 

[woodenchef]

Pump is setup like you say, I am not talking about a few bubbles but basically half the aquarium is covered in this bubble mist under the water (only way to explain).

Would the new water conditioner and bacteria additives added to water also play some sort of role in this (i hope) because i will need to do something with Ehiem otherwise. It looks terrible

 

[leifthebunny]

Did you recently do a large water add recently? Also, are the bubbles sticking to the sides or does it just look cloudy from teh amount of bubbles? Do they go away after some time when you slow the water rate down?

 

[woodenchef]

It is a new aquarium, i just started cycling, all the water is new. It's not the bubbles stuck to gravel and sides of aquarium, i figure these will go away in time

These bubbles are coming from the output spout on the filter, water is very clear except for all the micro bubbles which then make things hard to see.

 

[jones57742]

I am not familiar with bacteria additives but if by water conditioner you mean what I term dechlorinator then no: the air bubbles are emanating from your pump system.

As I have limited experience with my Eheim I did not post previously but you might try (which is what I did):

Place the pump in something which will hold water (I used a styrofoam box).
Get the pump primed and going.
Loosen the lid enough to let water start coming out and then reset the lid.
Repeat the process (as best I remember took me two times) until no air is observed in the return line to the tank.

The second time I installed the Eheim I could not get the above to work but it is way simpler than what I did the second time so hopefully it will work for you.

TR

 

[woodenchef]

I will give the a shot, it works for my pool pump to get air out why not a aquarium pump



The other thing i noted with this new Ehiem is it just stops pumping and then i need to prime it again and it starts working. Maybe there still is too much air in there somewhere. I would'nt think the air in system should stop the pump all together though?

 

[jones57742]

I would'nt think the air in system should stop the pump all together though?

Oh yea!!

This phenomenon is referred to as cavitation and cavitation will turn the motor into a crispy critter.

TR

 

[woodenchef]

So if pump is stopping then this must be the major cause of the bubbles. I will try to correct ASAP by removing lid to try and rid the air, I am sure shorter lines would help too but i don't want them to short. Pump now is under cabinet in front of door with easy access and well within the 180cm range from surface water to base of filter as they suggest. Is has a self prime but i can still see air so maybe lid trick will work.

I did turn the pump off before i left for work this morning because when i woke up and checked it it was again not pumping. I was worried i fried the motor as it was a bit warm not sure when it stopped. But i primed and it started so i unplugged and left it.

 

[woodenchef]

So if pump is stopping then this must be the major cause of the bubbles. I will try to correct ASAP by removing lid to try and rid the air, I am sure shorter lines would help too but i don't want them to short. Pump now is under cabinet in front of door with easy access and well within the 180cm range from surface water to base of filter as they suggest. Is has a self prime but i can still see air so maybe lid trick will work.

I did turn the pump off before i left for work this morning because when i woke up and checked it it was again not pumping. I was worried i fried the motor as it was a bit warm not sure when it stopped. But i primed and it started so i unplugged and left it.

Got me thinking and I might know what the problem is (my hypothesis at the moment) and will check this first. I bought one of those textured backgrounds and had cutout a recess for the input side which i am thinking is possibly restricting the suction. The front intake of basket is clear but sides and back are resticted do to textured background and side and back glass. Wish i had a picture, easier to explain